This reader presents students with an alternative conceptual approach to gender in the workplace. This approach traces the alignment of commonly held assumptions about work and competence with idealized images of masculinity. The readings then illustrate how this alignment limits opportunities for all but a small narrowly defined segment of the workforce. These limitations not only affect the work experiences of women and men, but also restrict how work gets done, and therefore reduce organizational effectiveness.
The contributors take stock of the most important recent work on gender and diversity in organizations and apply it to mainstream contemporary management. The result is a book that not only gives readers a deeper understanding of gender and diversity in organizations, but also provokes new ways of thinking about traditional topics, such as leadership, human resource management, negotiation, globalization and organizational change.